Hardanger Openings Make Embroidery Look Like Lace

The Hardanger embroidery method combining whitework with the pulled thread technique takes its name from a fjord on the west coast of Norway. In Norwegian, it's called Hardangersom and appears in traditional bunad costumes.

However, it did not originate in Scandinavia. It was imported from Italy, where it was also very popular in Italy during the late Renaissance and into the 17th and early 18th centuries. It became popular in the US at the end of the 19th century.

hardanger heart ornament



This heart ornament was the first piece I ever made using this technique. Isn't it pretty? Two of the dove's eyes are with wrapped bars and one dove's eye is with woven bars. I like the little eyelets, too. I used a kit from ALC Unlimited that included the fabric, threads, needles, and illustrated instructions for how to do all of the stitches. They also have a slightly different pink heart ornament available. It's on my list for future projects I want to try.

This method is effective in monochromatic shades, as it was originally worked, or you can take it as an opportunity to play with colors of fabric and thread!

Stitches and Sizes for Beginner Hardanger
There is one main stitch for the beginner to learn, the Kloster block, and then you can start wrapping and weaving. Choose the right size threads and fabric count for a successful project.


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